My Black and Deep Desires
by Dragon Elexus
Summary: Pink Diamond seeks the council of a sapphire on the subject of her new mission to the Crystal System.


**Author's Note:** This piece is paired with "Stars, Hide Your Fires", which can be found on my profile. It was co-written by LadyRavenEye. Hope you enjoy! 3

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 **My Black and Deep Desires**

Through the gardens of enchantment, into the hallways torsade, passed the briolette ballroom-only then did Pink Diamond allow herself the smallest hum of frustration. She had long since perfected the art of moving noiselessly through the Brilliant Palace, so it was a mark of how fatigued she truly was that she let the heels of her boots scrape along the floor.

Another endless meeting, with endless shriveling looks from the other Diamonds. She had not brought her Pearl along to this one, either, so there had been no one to trade secret grins with when White Diamond was being particularly pedantic about the logistics of transporting so many Gems across galaxies, or when Blue Diamond interjected for the umpteenth time they be on specific lookout for a viable quartz colony to bolster the army's ranks.

Most infuriating of all was the silken snide remarks from Yellow Diamond-was Pink Diamond _certain_ she would like to oversee the mission to the fledgling Crystal System herself? The Kindergarten projects have been disastrous so far, who _knows_ when she might return, after all? There were other high ranking Gems they could send, more _disposable_ , less singular.

The other Diamonds saw her banishment as pure folly, especially since Pink Diamond had opted for it over having her Pearl crushed. Yellow Diamond had caught them fusing for pleasure and someone had to pay for it. Pink Diamond had been looking for a way to get off Homeworld without arousing suspicion for some time now, so why not save an innocent Gem in the meantime?

It seemed apt it was her Pearl, anyway, who had taught her so much about what lowly Gems could be. Not as big, nor skilled, nor powerful as a Diamond, perhaps-but certainly just as _singular_.

But it was not her Pearl to whom she was traveling now, although Pink Diamond dearly wished she could wrap her in her arms and feel the stress melt away as her Pearl crooned into her ear. It was a sapphire.

Down into the bowels of the Brilliant Palace she went, lit by dimly glowing green crystals in sconces which cast a ghastly hue on the mosaics on the walls. They saved the pretty ones for aboveground-Gems dancing or building or celebrating victories-but down here, Pink Diamond was confronted with images of herself and others reaping destruction on other planets and species.

 _So much death_ \- she thought, not for the first, or hundredth, or thousandth time. _For what?_

The other Diamonds would say, _for us. For Gems_. Once, Pink Diamond had believed it.

She let her eyes slide over a particularly grisly piece which showed her triumphantly standing over a great scaled beast, her shield embedded in its skull. They had found babies, after-hundreds of them. Sometimes, when she was alone, Pink Diamond could still hear them screaming.

She reached the ancient doors of the sapphire sanctuary, studded with lightless black crystals. She called to her Gem and a slow pink line slithered up from floor and ceiling, meeting in the middle of the door. It parted.

Pink Diamond braced herself before gliding inside. She may be ancient and wise and strong, but even a Diamond felt unsettled in the sanctuary.

The circular atrium had black jet stone walls, floor, and ceiling. There was no light, except for the dim glow cast by the mosaic tiles that covered every surface-at least, they looked like tiles at first, until it became clear that they were thousands of pairs of eyes. They represented every Gem alive at this moment, blinking softly and silently. Together they formed a pattern which was one great eye itself, with a pupil comprised of four pairs of eyes on the door from which Pink Diamond had just entered. She knew if she blinked right now, the bottom pair of eyes in that pupil would blink as well.

Occasionally, a pair of eyes would close and never open again. Pink Diamond knew that was happening more often now than a new pair of eyes opening to replace them. There were many empty dark spots in the mosaic as proof.

"Your Brilliance?" a cool voice drifted toward her from the shadows of the atrium, and Pink Diamond squinted to see which sapphire had come to greet her. As the blue Gem drifted into the eery glittering light, Pink Diamond saw it was not the one she sought. A spiked floating orb of glowing ice followed the sapphire into the atrium, casting her features into ominous shadow.

"Hello," said Pink Diamond, once the sapphire had reached her. She floated slightly below Pink Diamond's eye level-it was not permitted to be taller than a Diamond in any capacity. A silly rule which occasionally required culling an otherwise admirable quartz warrior.

"We were not expecting you," said the sapphire. Pink Diamond had come to understand this actually meant _it was an unlikely future that lead you down here_.

"I was looking for..." Pink Diamond raised her right hand, placing the tip of her index finger to the side of the palm. The sapphire's lips puckered the barest amount before once more returning to neutral.

"Of course. Follow me."

Floating gracefully, the sapphire lead the way down one of the dark hallways that led out of the central atrium. That first hallway soon branched, then branched again, and again, twisting in ways regular physics would not allow. Pink Diamond did not bother trying to remember the path. The corridors here were always shifting in unpredictable ways; the way back would be completely different by the time she was finished. As they moved deeper into the complex, the temperature became colder and colder, and now the stone floor was slippery with ice.

Finally, just before a bend in the corridor, the sapphire paused. She gestured around the bend. "She is in there."

Pink Diamond nodded, then started down the path. As almost an afterthought, she said, "Thank you."

The sapphire was already gone, leaving behind her floating orb of soft light.

Stifling a sigh, Pink Diamond pressed on.

She did not have to go far. After the corner, the corridor did not continue, but instead lead into a small crystalline alcove. In the centre sat a sapphire- the Sapphire she had sought- so still that she appeared to be made of stone entirely.

At least, until she spoke.

"Pink Diamond," the Sapphire said.

 _She_ made no comment about the unexpected nature of her visit. Pink Diamond hadn't expected her to.

In all official capacity, this Sapphire was considered defective, though Pink Diamond privately believed such a term was too strong. But-misformed. Yes. Her gem was on her palm, and such lack of symmetry was considered a failure, a fundamental flaw. _Unofficially_ , however, it was known that there was no seer more skilled.

It was disquieting, not being able to see the Sapphire's expression. If Pink Diamond requested it, of course she would brush her bangs out of her eye-but Pink Diamond was trying to do better by baser Gems, and so she opted for the sapphire's comfort over her own.

She settled onto the cold floor, folding her legs and pulling her cape around her. There were countless questions buzzing through her head. _Will the Kindergarten project be successful? Will I be banished long? How uneasy is my favor among the other Diamonds, truly? Will my Pearl be safe? Do the Diamonds know exactly how much I am straying from the old ideals? Will there be war? How soon? How many will die? Will I ever return to Homeworld at all?_

The sapphire spoke. "You would like to know," she said. "About Earth."

Earth? As in dirt? Pink Diamond didn't understand. But eons had shaped her patience, and she trusted the sapphire's future vision.

"Yes," said Pink Diamond. "Tell me about earth."


End file.
